Making a Will is to create a legal document that explicitly sets out your wishes for the distribution of all of your property, known as your “estate”, after your death. If you die without having made a valid Will then you are regarded as having died “intestate” and your estate may be divided according to a statutory formula that may not reflect your wishes and which may cause friction, undue hardship, cost and delay for your family.

In situations where your closest living relatives are cousins, your estate will go to the benefit of the State Government.

It is particularly important to update a Will after marriage, divorce, or if you are living in a de facto relationship. Others can also make a claim to your estate if not adequately provided for under a Will.

Whilst it is possible to make a valid Will using a kit, OUR LAWYERS - OUR CONVEYANCERS recommend that unless you have the most simple of estates, i.e., you have no real estate, savings or investments, you should always use the services of a professional experienced in drafting clear, concise Wills because Will making is a highly specialised task, with complex financial, legal and tax implications that need to be considered.

Your Will is probably the most important document you will ever sign, and therefore it is vital that you have it prepared by experts.